Towbar tinkering...

[Barrbeast]

Step 1 - Flip flange towbar to give me another 1.5"-2" of clearance at the rear....

Before (bolts out and ready to "persuade" out of its bracket)

[Barrbeast]

After (towball re-fitted and the "persuader" in view )

[Barrbeast]

... and before anyone asks the rear clearance is better than it looks!

Tractor shed concrete floor rises above the level of the ground... and I might have removed a few inches of soil in front of it with the bucket (got fed up with the ground pushing up with the frost and stopping the doors opening easily) - I couldn't back it in further as the tractor was in the way!

Made it just the right height for bracing the breaker bar against the concrete floor though!

Step 2 is to replace the towball with a Bradley autolock jaw/pin/ball combi and fit a single rear step on the left (reversed to reduce the overhang). They arrived today so I'll fit them on Friday night as I'll be at the farm and able to get at my 3/4" socket set (Draper Silverline - best money I've had spent on tools since I got it).

[sam1989]

Good idea mate looks good aswell

[96terrano]

Nice hammer

[makeitfit]

I just unbolt the whole thing for off roading. Only takes 10 mins and 6 bolts ,job done
Then massive clearance

[Barrbeast]

Originally Posted by 96terrano

Nice hammer

Thanks, she's my persuader of choice, 1.8kg/4lb baby sledge

Originally Posted by makeitfit

I just unbolt the whole thing for off roading. Only takes 10 mins and 6 bolts ,job done
Then massive clearance

Can't argue with that Problem is it's so handy just being to able to hitch the sheep trailer or the big flatbed up to the Troll at a moment's notice

Might end up doing that for when I go on the tour to Transylvania next year but so far saving for the mods and entry fee hasn't gone entirely to plan (both best mates' stag do's and weddings this year) AND what with me being single again I am currently without a co-driver...

Ach, at least no longer having another half means the only drain on my beer tokens now is me!

[Barrbeast]

Originally Posted by sam1989

Good idea mate looks good aswell

Cheers mate, only halfway through as well... single step and tow jaw to be fitted this weekend

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

how about treating the bracket as a receiver, since electrics are else where
could rather than have the 2 bolts have 2 studs, and R-clips to retain them then
easy to take bar off or add. thinking troll as recovery loop in bumper above anyway
so might improve departure angle.

thing to watch is towbars post 98, or S reg have to confirm to euro reg 94/20 as I
recall which makes most of drop plates or adjustables often seen on newer LR stuff
illegal, atleast where vehicle is M class , ie car, not commercial.

[Barrbeast]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

how about treating the bracket as a receiver, since electrics are else where
could rather than have the 2 bolts have 2 studs, and R-clips to retain them then
easy to take bar off or add. thinking troll as recovery loop in bumper above anyway
so might improve departure angle.

thing to watch is towbars post 98, or S reg have to confirm to euro reg 94/20 as I
recall which makes most of drop plates or adjustables often seen on newer LR stuff
illegal, atleast where vehicle is M class , ie car, not commercial.

I do like that idea, but I think it would fall foul of the euro regs On my Shogun I was able to use an adjustable height towbar bolted straight to the chassis via the bracket for the recovery point (seems thats how practically EVERY other country except UK does it!). Fully legal as it was a '95 reg. One minute to remove 2 pins and the clearance was fantastic!

As it is taking the flange bolts out of the Troll towbar isn't the difficult part anyway as they're only M12s and I always carry a full toolbox. Most time consuming part is actually persuading the flange out of the brackets and back in - its in two halves with a spacer plate between them and is rather tight so you have to use a C clamp to get everything tight together and then use the baby sledge or some other hammer-like object to "ease" it in

BUT... it still takes less than 10 mins to get the flange off (probably nearer 5 mins) so I can just remove the flange whenever I go offroading rather than have the hassle of taking the whole towbar off and cable tying the electrics somewhere. I carry the toolbox and baby sledge with me anyway so can just do the same with the towbar flange (just in case I need it). Cheers TT2

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

was going to put my electrics up on the step bumper on my old y61, indeed is plan on my t2.

mainly to get them away from the water when wading.

[Barrbeast]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

was going to put my electrics up on the step bumper on my old y61, indeed is plan on my t2.

mainly to get them away from the water when wading.

Not a bad idea... though I'm hoping to fit front and rear offroad bumpers within the next 12 months so may not be worth drilling the current bumper

Out of curiosity, what made you get rid of the Y61?

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Originally Posted by Barrbeast

Not a bad idea... though I'm hoping to fit front and rear offroad bumpers within the next 12 months so may not be worth drilling the current bumper

Out of curiosity, what made you get rid of the Y61?

the engine, was a 2000MY X reg with very early zd 3.0tdi., was suffering overheating,
became Head Gasket, top of found 3 of 4 pistons cracked, so full rebuild, ran for another
6 months and engine management saying over boost, no boost lost faith and traded it in
for this our second T2. Still miss it was lovely drive far more comfort than T2. Could have
had all sensors done, quote was £700 but already knew that folks had been into it even
before HG as funny wiring, cowling clips damaged etc

Have a look through Y61 section, many of my tales of woe there, think from about 04 the
ZD was sorted certainly from time in went into the T2s I rushed into the Y61 knew risk
of early ones should have gone for a late 28td 6 pot, would have loved a 42td.

[Barrbeast]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

the engine, was a 2000MY X reg with very early zd 3.0tdi., was suffering overheating,
became Head Gasket, top of found 3 of 4 pistons cracked, so full rebuild, ran for another
6 months and engine management saying over boost, no boost lost faith and traded it in
for this our second T2. Still miss it was lovely drive far more comfort than T2. Could have
had all sensors done, quote was £700 but already knew that folks had been into it even
before HG as funny wiring, cowling clips damaged etc

Have a look through Y61 section, many of my tales of woe there, think from about 04 the
ZD was sorted certainly from time in went into the T2s I rushed into the Y61 knew risk
of early ones should have gone for a late 28td 6 pot, would have loved a 42td.

Yeh I did a lot of checking into the 3.0tdi problems before buying my Y61.

The grenade engines (the Aussies come up with cracking names) seem to have been the 2000 -2003 ones and anything after seems to be fine (feverishly touching wood!)... made sure I got a '54 just to be sure though!

Love my 3.0td... but the things I would do for a 4.2td Y61!!

[Barrbeast]

Step 2 now complete

Bradley Autojaw and step fitted... and looking bling In all seriousness, having the jaw there will be far more useful for me... it's not just because I think it looks good and the step will definitely be handy for clambering into and out of the boot!

It hasn't escaped me that the Autojaw probably uses up a good chunk of the clearance I saved by flipping the flange but I figure the jaw is far more likely to pass over stuff/be less of an anchor than the extra holes on the flange were - even more so if I take out the pin... plus I'll likely just remove the flange for serious offroading.